The Joint Chiefs of Staff gathered around the conference room table. All eight of them. Yes, eight. The Chairman, General Mark A. Milley, and the Vice Chairman, General John E. Hyten, were there. The Chief of Staff of the Army, General James C. McConville, was there. So to was Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael M. Gilday. Next to him was Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David H. Berger. Across from him sat Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General David L. Goldfien. On his right sat Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Joseph L. Lengyel. And finally was Chief of Space Operations, General John W. Raymond. Centuries of service, decades of leadership, and harrowing experiences of war were represented by these eight.
They all stood as a man in a business suit entered and stood behind an empty seat. A little plaque on the table read:
Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper
All nine took their seats.
SecDef turned to the new general. "I'd like to welcome General Raymond to the Joint Chief of Staff."
General Raymond rose. "Thank you very much gentlemen. I am excited to stand up US Space Force as the newest branch of the armed forces. We have a lot -"
"Actually," interrupted SecDef, "that's what we're here to talk about. Johnson, come in."
A short little man came in, and in a moment a Powerpoint presentation was on the screen. "What you are about to see if of the highest classification." He began, "We've been collecting intelligence on a world we discovered on the other side of a portal. It is an alien world. Though the inhabitants seem peaceful -"
An image appeared:
"We have identified several threats. These include dragons:
"Changelings:
"Yaks:
"Strange beasts:
"Alicorns:
"Tyrants:
"A reality-altering monster:
"And most threatening of all, her:"
The room sat in stunned silence. Finally, after they all had time to let it sink in, SecDef said, "In light of these discoveries, the President has decided to established a seventh branch of the armed services -"
An aide in the back of the room snickered in a hushed tone, "I'll bet it's call Magic Force."
"- and we will be standing up US Magic Force in the coming weeks."
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